Grain-cleaning attachment for thrashing machines



April 14, 1925.

H. B. STINSON GRAIN CLEANING ATTACHMENT FOR THRASHING MACHINES Filed May 31, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Ill/6h 5. $770.50".

BY HIS f7 I'ORNEY.

April 14, 1925.

H. B. STINSON GRAIN CLEANING ATTACHMENT FOR THRASHING MACHINES Filed May 31, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 invention to provide a grain c Patented Apr. 14, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUGE B. STINSON, OF GLENWOO'D, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 ELVAN M. VOUBHEES, 0F PEORIA, ILLINOIS.

GRAIN-CLEANING- ATTACHMENT FOR 'IHBASHING MACHINES.

Application filed May 31, 1924. Serial No. 718,920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUGH B. STINSON, a citizen of the United States, residin at Glenwood, in the county of Pope and tate of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain-Cleaning Attachments for Thrashin Machines; and I do hereby declare the ollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a grain cleaning device and particularly to such a de vice constructed and arranged to be attached to a thrashing machine. While the grain is sieved and separated from chaff and other im urities to a great extent in the standard thrashing machine, yet a great manyimpurities, such as forei seed, etc.,

are discharged from the thrashing machine with ,the grain. This results in the grain grower and seller being docked according to the amount of impurities in the grain. These dockage losses to grain growers have reached immense proportions in recent years. As is well known, practically all standard thrashing machines now have an automatic weighing device for the grain from which the grain is discharged into a swin 'ng conductor havin means for moving t 0 grain therethroug to a discharge spout.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple and eflicient grain cleaning device in connection with the discharge conduit of the thrashing machine.

It is a further object ofthe invention to provide such a ain cleaning or screenmg device in com ination with a discharge conduit, which conduit has an o ening in its lower side adjacent its inner end throu h which the grain is discharged onto t e in cleaning screen and an opening at its top portion adjacent its outer end, said screen having means for raising the grain and dischar g the same back into the dischar e comfiii t so that it is discharged, as usua after being cleaned.

It is more specifically an obi'ect of the caning attachment for such a discharge conduit in the form. of a rotary screen journaled on the conduit, together with means for prothe grain longitudinally of the screen, said grain being received through an opening in the bottom of the conduit adjacent one end of the screen and bein raised by addles on the rotary screen and discharged into an opening into the top of the conduit adjacent the other end of the screen.

It is still another object of the invention to provide such a device as above described, together with a member rotatable about said conduit adapted to cover or uncover said openings therethrough.

It is also an object to provide means for rotating a rotary screen mounted on the discharge conduit from the same driving means that drives the grain moving means in said conduit arranged so that the rotary screen can swing with the discharge conduit.

These and other object and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views, and in which,

Fig. 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical longitudinal section of the device;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the discharge end of the discharge conduit;

Fig. 3 is a view in vertical section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1, as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. i is a view in vertical section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1, as indicated by the arrows; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1, as indicated the arrows. a portion of the structure ing omitted.

Referring to the drawin a portion of the equipment of a stander thrashing machine is illustrated showing the hopper 1 forming a part of the grain weighing apparatus. From this hopper 1 the grain is periodically discharged into the hopper 2 and said grain passes from the hopper 2 throu h the 0 en bottom thereof into the troug or con nit 3 to which the hopper 2 is secured. For the purposes of this invention, the grain could be discharged periodically or continuously into hopper 2 from any grain discharging means on a thrashing machine or on a grain elevating or handling means in an elevator or grain warehouse. While any desired form of grain discharge conve or may be used, in the embodiment of t e invention illustrated, a conduit 3 is shown as of cylindrical form and has its inner end closed by a cap 3 and its outer end closed by the cap 3*, said caps carrying suitable hubs in which is journaled a shaft 4 extending axially of said conduit and carrying the helical blade 5 constituting with said conduit 3 a conveyor for moving the grain outwardly. The grain at the outer end of the conduit is discharged through a spout 6 which usually has extensible sections 7 thereon. The outer end of the conduit 3 is supported by a rod 3 extending to the top of the grain elevator, which is attached to the side of the standard thrashing machine. The rod 3 passes throu h an angle bracket 3 riveted to the condult 3 and through another angle bracket 3 projecting downwardly and outwardly at the end of said conduit, which latter bracket supports a chain '2 extending downwardly and adapted to be connected to the lower end of the discharge sections 7. The end of rod 3' is threaded and clamped to the brackets 3 and 3 by suitable clam ing nuts, a spacing member 3 being inserte between'said brackets. The conduit 3 is carriedjn a fork or (yoke bracket 8 having spaced arms rivet/e or otherwise suitably secured to said conduit and having parallel sides at its U-shaped bottom portion slidable in grooves in a fork bracket 9. The bracket 9 has slots 9* in the sides thereof and the bracket 8 has laterally projecting pins 8 rigidly secured thereto projecting throu h said slots. The bracket 9 also has ateac side top screws 10 and bottom screws 11 disposed in tapped holes therein adapted to engage the pins 8" so that the bracket 8 is a-dliustably held in position in said bracket 9. he bracket 9 has a T-shaped bearing at its lower portion comprising horizontal arms 9 and a vertical arm 9. A shaft 12 extends through the horizontal arms 9 and carries at each side thereof the sleeves 13 and 14 having at their inner ends beveled gears 13 and 14", respectively. The beveled gears 13 and 14 mesh with. a beveled gear 15 disposed substantially horizontally and having a sleeve 15" secured on a shaft 16, which shaft has a bearing in the arm 9 and also in a bracket 17 extending from the leg of the grain elevator on the thrashing machine. The sleeve 13 also carries a sprocket wheel 13 at its outer end and said sleeve is held in position on the shaft 12 by a. collar 18 pinned to said shaft and engaging the end of said sleeve. The sprocket wheel 13 is connected by a chain 20 to a sprocket wheel 19 having a hub secured by a suitable set screw to shaft 4, the chain 20 passing over said sprockets and forming a driving means for the shaft 4 and conveyor 5. The parts thus far described with the exception of the sleeve 14 and its parts, constitute part of the standard equipment of the modern thrashing machine.

In accordance with the present invention, the conduit 3 is formed with a pair of elongated substantially rectangular openings 3 adjacent its inner end and is also formed "with a substantially rectangular opening of considerabl less length 3 spaced at its top portion, said opening 3 being spaced outwardly some distance from the openings 3. A rotary screen 21 is rovided carried by the end plates or head 22 and these end plates 22 are journaled on collars or rings 23 and 23 bolted or riveted, respectively, adjacent the inner end of conduit 3 and a sleeve 28 rotatably mounted on conduit 3. The rings 23 and 23 are thus disposed at the inner and outer sides, respectively, of the openings 3 and 3". The end plate 22 at the inner end of the screen 21 has a frustoconical shell 24 bolted thereto which projects outwardly about the conduit 3 and has at its exterior side adjacent its edge sprocket teeth over which passes a chain 25 also passing over and driven by a sprocket 14 secured on the outer end of sleeve 14. The sleeve 14 is held in position by a collar 14 pinned to the end of the shaft 12. It is thus seen that the screen 21 is rotated from the shaft 16, said latter shaft being connected to a suitable driving shaft on the thrashing machine in the usual manner. The screen 21 is surrounded by and rigidly connected to a helical blade 26 forming a conveyor for the material on said screen, which blade is secured at one end to the inner head 22 and at its outer end to the body of screen 21. The screen 21 has secured therein at its outer end a series of substantially radially disposed blades 27, said blades having laterally extending flanges secured, respectively, to the outer head 22 and to the body of screen 21 by suitable rivets. The sleeve 28 is provided with an opening at its inner end adapted to be moved out of and into alinement with the openings 3 and conduit 3 and said sleeve also has an openin adjacent its outer end adapted to be move into and out of alinement with the opening 3. Said sleeve 28 has secured thereto a band 29 having one end bent outwardly, circumferentially and inwardly to form a handle 29", one end of which is connected b a bolt 30 to the other out-turned end 29" 0 said band, the ends of said band being suitablg drawn to ether by a wing nut 31 threade on the b0 t 30 and passing through the sleeve 32 on said bolt. "The sleeve 28 may thus be turned by the handle 29 to cover or uncover the openings 3 and 3 ii1i the conduit 3.

It will be noted that the screen 21 is com- J represented as being of a different size of.

mesh. Said screen'is surrounded b a housing 33 substantially cylindrical at its upper portion and composed of sections hav ng mturned ends comiected at their upper sides by a headed and nuttedbolt 33 and having out-turned flanges at their lower' sides connected to similar out-turned flanges on chute 34 by suitable headed and nutted bolts. The chute 34 is divided to form two or more spouts 34 and 34", thelower sides of these spouts bein disposed, respectively, under the sections screen'21, the number of spouts corresponding to the number of sections. A strip 35 of stifi flexible material such as leather is secured by the bolts 38 and projects downwardly into scraping contact with the exterior of screen 21 to form a cleaning means therefor.

In operation, the grain is discharged from the. ain elevator into the hopper 2 and move therethrough by. the conveyor 5 to the discharge 8 outs 6 and 7. When it is desired to clean' t e grain the sleeve 28 is rotated by means ofa han le 29 to uncover 'the openings 3 and 3andthe sleeve clamped in this position by manipulation of a thumb nut 31. As the grain isnow r o girl-seed in the conduit 3, t e same will rop t ugh the o ening 3 mtg screen 21. The screen? 21 wi be rotated by 'a chain throu h' the gears 4 and from the shaft 16 andthe grain dischar ed thereinto-will be moved longitudinally t ereof by the helical conveyor 26. As the grain is thus traversed longitudinally of the screen, the dirt and, im urities therein and the small foreign se be discli'ar ed through-the screenand will drop into t espouts 3i and 34! from whenoethe" will pass into any suitable receptacle-. place under said chutes; When the grain reaches the outer end of'screen 21 the conduit 3 through the o 1 charged can besuspended at any timeby again mov-n these paddles'rotate Vii it is 'pnshed between-tlia uladdles 27 and as I thescreen the .ainwmbermd mdnischn g 3 Thelclean i V ain will then'be pro outwardough the conduit '3 and as'usual. The cleaning operation ing' the sleeve QS t'o coverthe o mngs' .3 and 3, z The member 25 will act? to scrape any materiai catching in the screen therefrom so that thescreen'will be kept in clean rative "condition.

all swingable about the axis of shaft 16 and in the standardimachine this shaftis driven by a rotatable gear not shown. It sometimes be necessary to adjust the bracket Qby means of the screws 11 to properly tension the chains 20 and 25.

From the above description it is seen that a plicant has cient grain cqeaning device adapted to be The conduit 3 with t e screen 21 and the other parts, are

rovidcd a very simple and The grain is eiliciently cleaned and the growers are saved a great deal of money in the elimination of dockage discount or charges. The device does not in any way interfere withlthe swinging movement of the conduit 3 and is driven by the same mechanism-that drives the conveyor for conduit 3. It will thus be seen that the device will have a high degree of utility.

- It will, of coursa be understood that various changes may be made in the form 'details, arrangement and proportions of the,

parts without departing from the scope of' applicants invention, which, generally stated, consists in a device capable of carry ing out the objects above set forth, such as shown and described and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with the grain dis charge conduit of a thrashing machine and the grain moving means therein, said conduit having an opening in its lower side adjacent its inner end and an o ning in its upper side outwardly of said first mentioned opemn a screen beneath said conduit, Y

means or pro in fallin throu h said .first mentiontii o p ening a ong said screen, and means for raising. a in so moved along said screen and dropping it into said last mentioned op i 2. 'The structure set f orth inclaim 1, and.

a revoluble member-on said conduit adapted to cover and uncover said openings in said conduit.

. a. The combination with the grain charge conduit of a thrashing machine and p the inmoving-meane therein, said conduit aving an opening in the lower side adjacent its mner end and an opening in its mentioned opening, of a screen surrounding said conduit means for progress grain falling thrdugh said first mentlol i ds opening along said screen, and means in upper side disposed outwardly of said first said screen for raising said grain and dropping it into said last mentioned opening.

4. The structure set forth in claim 3, a 1 a common means 1' driving said grain mov-' p gressin grain alohg' said screen.

ing means in sai conduit, and! the means for The combination with the grain dis a charge conduit of a thrashing machine and the grain moving means therein, said con duit having an opening in the lower side adjacent its inner end and an opening in its upper side disposed outwardly of said first mentioned opening, a rotary screen revoluble about said conduit havin a plurality of longitudinal sections of di erent sized mesh, a conveyor for moving grain falling through said first mentioned opening longitudinally of said screen and radially disposed members at one end of said screen for raising said grain and dropping the same into said last mentioned opening, and discharge chutes disposed, respectively under the sections of said screen.

6. A grain cleaning device comprising a conduit, means for moving grain therethrough, said conduit having an opening in its lower side adjacent one end and an opening in its upper side disposed outwardly of said first mentioned openin a screen movable beneath said conduit adapted to receive grain in said conduit through said first mentioned opening-means for moving said grain along said screen, and means for raising said grain and discharging the same into said conduit through said last mentioned open- In a thrashing machine, a grain discharge conduit, a grain movin means therein, a support for said con uit revoluble about a vertical axis, a driving shaft revoluble about said axis substantially horizontal shafts driven therefrom, means for driving said grain moving means from one of said horizontal shafts, a rotary screen journaled on said conduit, a driving memberon said screen, driving meansconnecting said driving member and the other horizontal shaft, a conveyor carried by said screen, said conduit having an opening at its lower side at one end of said screen, and an opening at its upper side at the other end of said screen, and means in one end of said screen for liftmg grain and dropping the same into said last mentioned opening.

8. The combination with the grain discharge conduit ofa thrashing machine and the grain moving means therein, said conduit having an opening in the lower side adjacent its inner end and an opening in its upper side disposed outwardly of said first mentioned opening, a rotary screen journaled on said conduit, means for rotating said screen, a helical conveyor on said screen, and a plurality of radially disposed paddles in one end of said screen movable over said last mentioned opening and arran ed to lift grain and discharge the same into said opening.

9. T e structure set forth in claim 8, and a sleeve rotatable on said conduit having openings adapted to be moved into and out of alinement with said openings in said conduit to cover and uncover the same.

10. The combination with the grain discharge conveyor of a thrashing machine, of a screen supported adjacent said conveyor arranged to receive grain therefrom, and means for returning the cleaned grain to said conveyor.

11. The combination with a grain discharge conveyor of a-thrashing machine, of a grain cleaning means supported adjacent said conveyor, said conveyor having means for discharging grain into said cleanin means, and means for returning the cleaned grain to said conveyor at a point outwardly of said last mentioned means.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HUGH B. STINSON.

duit having an opening in the lower side adjacent its inner end and an opening in its upper side disposed outwardly of said first mentioned opening, a rotary screen revoluble about said conduit havin a plurality of longitudinal sections of di erent sized mesh, a conve or for moving grain falling throu 11 said first mentioned opening longitudinal y of said screen and radially disposed members at one end of said screen for raisin said grain and dropping the same into sai last mentioned opening, and discharge chutes disposed, respectively under the sections of said screen.

6. A grain cleaning device comprising a conduit, means for moving grain therethrough, said conduit having an o ening in its lower side adjacent one end an an openin in its upper side disposed outwardly of 'said first mentioned openin a screen movable beneath said conduit adapted to receive ain in said conduit through said first mentioned opening. means for moving said grain along said screen, and means for raising said grain and discharging the same into said conduit through said last mentioned open- In a thrashing machine, a grain discharge conduit, a grain movin means therein, a support for said con uit revoluble -about a vertical axis, a driving shaft revoluble about said axis substantially horizontal shafts driven therefrom, means for driving said grain moving means from one of said horizontal shafts, a rotary screen journaled on said conduit, a driving memberon said screen, driving meansconnecting said driving member and the other horizontal shaft, a conveyor carried b said screen, said conduit having an opening at its lower side at arcane? one end of said screen, and an opening at lts upper side at the other end of said screen, and means in one end of said screen for liftmg gram and dropping the same into said list mentioned opening.

8. The combination with the grain discharge conduit ofa thrashing machine and the am moving means therein, said conduit avmg an opening in the lower side adjacent its inner end and an opening in its upper side disposed outwardly of said first mentioned opening, a rotary screen journaled on said conduit, means for rotating said screen, a helical conveyor on-said screen, and a plurahty of radially disposed paddles in one end of said screen movable over said last mentioned opening and arranged to lift grain and discharge the same mto said openi i ilg.

9. 0 structure set forth in claim 8, and a sleeve rotatable on said conduit having open ngs adapted to be moved into and out o almement with said openings in said conduit to cover and uncover the same.

10. The combination with the grain discharge conveyor of a thrashing machine, of a screen supported adjacent said conveyor arranged to receive grain therefrom, and

means for returning the cleaned grain to said conveyor.

11. The combination with a grain discharge conveyor of a-thrashing machine, of a grain cleaning means supported adjacent said conveyor, said conveyor having means for discharging grain into said cleanin means, and means for returning the cleane grain to said conveyor at a point outwardly of said last mentioned means.

HUGH B. STINSON.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,533,997, granted April 14, 1925, upon the a plication of Hugh'B. Stinson, of 'GlenwoodMMinnesota, for an improverhent in rain-Cleaning Attachments for Threshin achines, an error appears in the rinted specification requiring correction as ollowsz Page 4, after line 78 insert t efollowing as claim 12:

12. A grain discharging conduit for a thrashing machine having a grain cleaning means co-operating with and disposed between the ends of said conduit constructed and arranged to clean the grain passing through said conduit. and that the said Letters Patent ihould be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 7th day of July, A. D. 1925.

[SEAL] WM. A. KINNAN, Acting Gomnissz'mzcr of Patents.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patnnt No. 1,533,997, granted April 14, 1925, upon the a plication of Hugh B. Stinson, of Glenwood, Minnesota, for an improven'ient in main-Cleaning Attachments for Thrashing Machines, an error appears in the )rinted specification requiring correction as follows: Page 1, :1 Her line 78 insert the following as claim 12:

12. A grain, discharging conduit for a t]: mshz'ng machim having a grain cleaning means co-opemting with and disposed bet'z men the ends of said conduit constructed and arranged to 01mm the grain passing through said conduit. and that the said Letters Patent should he read with this corrcrtion therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in tho Patent Ollicc.

Signed and sealed this 7th day of July, A. D, 1925.

SEAL WM. A. KINNAN,

Acting Uommz'ssioner of Patents. 

